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UK records hottest day of year at 38.1 degrees Celsius
The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with the Met Office reporting a temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius in west London, surpassing the previous high of 38°C set…
The Story in Brief
The UK recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with the Met Office reporting a temperature of 38.1 degrees Celsius in west London, surpassing the previous high of 38°C set on June 28. Britain is experiencing its fifth heatwave of the summer, alongside France, where temperatures are forecast to reach 40°C in central and southern areas.
The prolonged heat has exacerbated drought conditions, with Southern Water seeking a rare drought order to ban non-essential water use in parts of England. Hospitals have struggled, with nurses collapsing from heat exhaustion, according to the Royal College of Nursing. Wildfires remain a threat, with 1,017 recorded in England and Wales this year, matching last year's record. Firefighters have contained a blaze in the New Forest.
The Indian Opinion
Western media often frames Europe's heatwaves as a shocking new normal, but the real story is the failure to adapt. Britain and France have known for years that heatwaves would increase, yet hospitals lack cooling and homes lack AC. The narrative that this is a one-off summer spike is misleading, last year was a record, and this year matches it. The test will be whether governments actually enforce water bans or restrict disposable barbecues, not just issue warnings.
Sources (2): economictimes.indiatimes.com, indiatvnews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
